Topic: Pickled gerkins

[Tin Shed]

Hi, has anyone a foolproof recipe for pickled gerkins? There seems to a wide variation in recipes, some brining for up to 48 hours and then reboiling the vinegar several times to apparently make the gerkins greener!

I am confused  and need some help ;)

[queenbee]

I used a recipe where you had to boil the gerkins for 5 mins, I had to throw them away as they were really soggy. This year I am not going to boil them. Try the internet, there are lots of sites that will help you. Thats what I shall do unless our lottie friends can come up with a good method for pickling them. 

[Jeannine]

Pickeled cukes and gherkins fall inio three catagories,

Long brine ..left to cure in heavy salt solution for some weeks,thern packed and processed.

Short brine..left overnight to crisp up then processed

Complete cooked, but this is usually used for cut up in a sweet sour  form like relishes ertc.

Within the above catagories there are loads of recipes it depends on what you are looking for..each is different in it's own right.

My favourite is a Kosher style whole one with dill  and a clove of garlic in the jar.

XX Jeannine

[queenbee]

Thanks Jeannine, I to like the Kosher style and have some large jars I can use, good idea regarding the garlic I will give it a try, my first gherkin is about 2inches long but will pickle them at about four inches. I will soak them in brine for a few days and hope that I can recreate the Kosher style ones.

[pumkinlover]

I did not know you should brine them first so last year I just pickled them as I do onions and they were fine!

However will do it right this year with my one gerkin :(!

[Tin Shed]

Does the length of brining determine the crunch of the gerkin, or should they always be soaked in brine for 24/48 hours?

And do you then pour over hot or cold vinegar?

If you want to slice them first, does this change the elngth of time in the brine?

Told you all that I was confused ;)

[pumkinlover]

Keep asking- you ask the questions I did not know I need to ask :D

[Jeannine]

Ok, I can give you a recipe fro Kosher style dill pickled cukes is whar yoiu want,

To crisp them they are left in  salted ice water overnight only.

Then packed and processed the next day.

Get back to me if this is what you want and I will post the recipe.

Yoiu will need proper cannning/botling jars to seal in a bopiling water bath.

I can aslo give you a recipe for short brine sliced ones if you wish, we call them bread and butter pickles

XX Jeannine

[Alex133]

Sorry to butt in - could you post both the recipes, Jeannine, never pickled cucumbers before and was thinking of having a bash.

[Jeannine]

I will get some out for you over the weekend

XX Jeannine

[Tin Shed]

Thank you, Jeannine - they sound like the recipes that I am looking for :D

[green lily]

I'd really welcome a recipe for pickled cucumbers [kosher style would be lovely]. But my cues [ crystal apple and wautoma would need to be cut into slices or chunks.Can this be done? I seem to think you can buy sliced picked cucumbers.  I can sterilise them with no problems although need to go and hunt new sealing rings. I did dried tomatoes last year[ in olive oil which lasted all winter and were wonderful], but picked. cues are a new one for me.I'd be really grateful for an idiot proof simplish recipe to get me going. many many thanks. :)

[queenbee]

Green Lily would you be kind enough to give me the recipe for you dried tomatoes. I have just pickled my first batch of gherkins along with jeannine's hint with a clove of garlic. I did not boil them but did salt them overnight. I also added a few shallots to fill the jar. The proof is in the pudding I will try them in one months time. I must add that I used pickling vinegar I suppose this is cheating a bit but I just poured it in cold. The jar the vinegar came in was quite large and I will use it when the rest of my gherkins are ready. Do I need to thin the gherkins out as there is at least 30 small ones on each plant?